THE APCA PROJECT
The African Palliative Care Association of Zimbabwe (APCA –supported project is about “Strengthening the capacity of Zimbabwe to provide quality palliative care”. In this endeavor APCA has supported HOSPAZ to do the following:
- Conducting a Palliative Care Situational Analysis
- Developing National Palliative Care Policy
- Developing a National Palliative Care Curriculum
- Developing a National Palliative Care Training Manual
- Training 40 health professionals in palliative care
- Strategic Planning for HOSPAZ (2014 – 2018)
THE GLOBAL FUND PROJECT (2010 – 2013)
HOSPAZ was a sub-sub recipient of the Global Fund in the Round 8 project, sub-granting and working with 45 of its members in all 62 districts of Zimbabwe during 2010 – 2013 (see attached list). As scale-up from Global Fund Round 5, this four-yearHBC project was about “Providing Care and Support for the Chronically Ill”, by promotingHIV prevention, treatment, care and support, through integrated training package on HIV treatment literacy, SRH, Malaria, TB and NCDs. Its main thrust was towards project support in terms ofensuring household food security especially for homes providing HBC, mobilising and empowering community leadership to take ownership of health service provision in their communities, and narrowing the gap between health care providers in the public sector as well as those in the civil sector.
- The project was implemented in two phases:
- Phase 1: 2010 – 2011
- Phase 2: 2012 – 2014
Transition into the next phase was not automatic but performance-based, which saw HOSPAZ replacing some of its poorly performing partners at the onset of phase 2.
Capacity Building Activities(Trainers per Year)
- TOT Food Security – 48 trainers
- TOT CHBC – 96 trainers
- TOT CMEIACST – 96 trainers
- Cascade Food Security – 3600 caregivers
- Cascade CHBC – 3600 caregivers
- Cascade CHBC – 480 nurses
- Cascade CMEIACST – 1200 Community leaders
Community Mobilisation & Empowerment for Improved Access to Care, Support and Treatment (CMEIACST)
- Treatment buddy meetings – 960 treatment supporters
Technical Support
- Pre-award capacity assessment of partners
- Training of trainers and support during cascade trainings
- Mentoring and support visits (quarterly)
- Monitoring visits (quarterly)
- Review meetings (bi-annually)
- IEC material development and distribution (HIV treatment literacy & Care Cards)
Outcomes
Many success stories were registered as a result of the interventions, to include household economic strengthening (backyard and community gardens that evolved into thriving income-generating projects), community empowerment and involvement in supporting treatment and care, as evidenced by developments and renovations done at local clinics and the purchase of an ambulance, among other achievements.
THE NAP FOR OVC PROJECT (2007 – 2010)
NAP for OVC was the first phase of NAP which heralded the current NAP for OVC II. HOSPAZ implemented the project with funding support from UNICEF. This was against a background of a phenomenon of many children being orphaned and living in an environment without parenting or psychosocial support at all to deal with their trauma resulting from the loss of their loved ones. On the home-based care scene an observation made that children’s needs were not being catered for during the provision of HBC. Hence NAP for OVC was an OVC Project on “Integrating children’s palliative care and PSS into HBC” in 9 provinces of Zimbabwe.
Project Activities:
Activities included:
- TOT in palliative care and PSS
- Cascade training to secondary caregivers
- Identification and referral of children with PSS needs
- Psychosocial camps and support groups for children
- Mentoring and support of trained personnel
- Review meetings bi-annually
- End-of project evaluation of the project (see report)
Outcomes
Children were more empowered and assertive to contribute to discussions on their welfare. Caregivers became more confident and better equipped to report perpetrators of abuse to children. Communities were more knowledgeable about child welfare issues, what constituted child abuse and therefore more supportive of programmes designed for children, leading to safer environments for children’s wellbeing in general.
VANA/BANTWANA PROJECT
The Vana/Bantwana (V.B) Project is a progression and scale-up of the Children First project that has been implemented with World Education Incorporated (WEI) technical support, and USAID funding, whose aim was to increase children’s access to anti-retroviral therapy and other comprehensive health services 2008 – 2012. The thrust of CF was on meeting the children’s health needs physically and psychosocially and making referrals for other unmet needs.
V.B project continued to support an integrated community approach that built on the work, expertise, and commitment of its partners, expanding evidence-based service delivery models of care and support, and strengthening community structures to ensure that a range of comprehensive, palliative care services reach the most vulnerable children and families. V.B’s capacity building model strengthened local NGO capacity in line with PEPFAR and USAID FORWARD principles and ensured that partners complemented government frameworks and mechanisms, including supporting the key pillars of OVC service provision identified in the NAP II. Through the V.B Project HOSPAZ reached a target population of 42000 OVC and 2000 adults in FY14 through health, education, child rights/protection and economic strengthening activities.